The ACORNS programme which supports early-stage female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland is to represent the country at a European awards ceremony.

The free initiative has been selected as the Irish entry for the European Enterprise Promotion Awards, Investing in Entrepreneurial Skills.

The European Enterprise Promotion Awards are run by the European Commission.

A representative from ACORNS will be attending the SME Assembly 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark in November.

The annual SME Assembly is the most significant event for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe.

Since ACORNS was established in 2014, over 550 female entrepreneurs have completed a cycle of the programme.

The initiative is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).

ACORNS, which stands for Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups, was developed by Fitzsimons Consulting.

Paula Fitzsimons, director of ACORNS, said they were delighted that the programme has been recognised for the work it does in supporting female innovators based in rural Ireland.

"Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a lead entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland," she said.

ACORNS is currently seeking applications for the 11th cycle of the programme, with up to 50 places available. The deadline for applications is midnight on September 22.

“While we look forward to the final in Copenhagen, we are also looking forward to receiving the applications of the next group of prospective ACORNS and working closely with those selected to continue the positive trends we’ve seen in terms of revenue and employment," Fitzsimons added.